Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
Sweet Home medics safely removed a 44-year-old man from the South Santiam River after he fell in the evening of Tuesday, Nov. 20.
Bryon Lacey, 44, who lives at Mountain Shadows Trailer Park, told police he fell off the bank of the river, Police Chief Bob Burford said.
Sweet Home Police, Linn County deputies and Sweet Home medics and firefighters responded to a report of someone yelling for help at around 7:20 p.m. behind Mountain Shadows Trailer Park.
The South Santiam River runs along the north edge of the park.
Residents of the park and emergency workers walked up and down the plateau above the bank calling out to Lacey.
Police Sgt. Jeff Lynn located Lacey in the water about midway between the east and west borders of the trailer park.
Lacey told Lynn he was about half in and half out of the water. When Lynn asked if he was hurt, Lacey responded “What do you think?”
Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District personnel prepared to climb down to the riverbank while bringing a boat up from the Pleasant Valley boat ramp to look at the bank or pull Lacey into the boat if possible.
A Linn County deputy was able to spot Lacey from the north side of the river with a flashlight, and he reported over the radio that Lacey was submerged in the river up to his neck, with one arm out of the water, hanging onto the bank.
SHFAD rescue workers pulled Lacey into the boat and took him to the north side of the river where he was met by an ambulance and medics and transported to Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital.
Kathi Aguilar reported the incident.
“For about 45 minutes prior to me knowing what was going on, I heard him yelling,” she said. “I thought it was kids playing.”
Later, a neighbor called her and told her to go outside and listen. She went outside and heard him yelling for help.
Aguilar and her neighbors were yelling to him that help was on the way, and they tried to find where he was on the bank below.
Based on Aguilar’s comments, it was about one hour and 20 minutes beween the time he started calling for help and his rescue.